- News
7 September 2018
MACOM launches industrial-temperature-grade 25G lasers for high-volume deployment in 5G LTE wireless front-haul applications
© Semiconductor Today Magazine / Juno PublishiPicture: Disco’s DAL7440 KABRA laser saw.
In booth #1A32 at the China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE 2018) in Shenzhen, China (5–8 September) and in booth #579 at the European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC 2018) in Rome, Italy (24–26 September), MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc of Lowell, MA, USA (which makes semiconductors, components and subassemblies for RF, microwave, millimeter-wave and lightwave applications) is launching a portfolio of 25G distributed feedback (DFB) lasers designed for use in next-generation 5G LTE wireless front-haul infrastructure. Building on MACOM’s legacy in 4G LTE connectivity solutions, the laser portfolio is expected to help wireless operators deploy 25G optical links at commercial scale and cost structures on the path to 5G.
Available in bare die chip format (1xxD-25I-LCT11-50x) and TO-packaging (1xxD-25I-LT5xC-50x) and designed for operation in the -40°C to 85°C temperature range over transmission distances of 2-10km, the new 25G DFB lasers will meet stringent operating requirements while helping to expand wireless infrastructure bandwidth for high-speed 5G connectivity.
The new industrial-temperature-grade 25G laser portfolio leverages MACOM’s proprietary etched facet technology (EFT) which, at commercial-scale manufacturing levels, could enable breakthrough cost efficiencies and product uniformity, it is reckoned. MACOM believes that this high-volume production capability distinguishes it as a leading provider of 25G lasers across a host of cloud data-center and wireless infrastructure applications.
“MACOM’s new 5G LTE-optimized 25G laser family builds on our comprehensive portfolio of 5G enabling technologies, and again demonstrates the value of EFT for achieving production efficiency that scales to meet industry supply and cost-structure needs,” says Dr Fang Wang, VP & business line manager, Lightwave. “For customers transitioning from 10G to 25G wireless front-haul infrastructure, MACOM can provide the 25G lasers, complementary components and application expertise to help accelerate deployment time and reduce costs,” he adds.
The industrial-temperature-grade 25G lasers are sampling to customers now, with production availability planned for 2019.